Ashes
by Centroides
Summary: After two failed missions the team has a chance to redeem themselves, if they can.
1. Chapter 1

The Finale

Chapter 1

Lieutenant Garrison drove carefully; he had a lot on his mind. His last two missions had been failures. The first, they had had an accident on the way to the airfield and the men who had been sent in their place were missing and presumed dead. There was nothing to say they would not have met a similar fate but his competitive nature said he could have done better. The next mission's practice had blown up in their faces, literally. Hopefully they could redeem themselves this time.

In spite of his anxiety he could not help noticing his surroundings. The call had come late last evening for him to be at headquarters at oh-seven-hundred this morning. Always an early riser he had set his alarm in time to get in a short run, shower and a quick breakfast. Chief was still recovering so he had gone alone. Now he was on the road. This part of the country was beautiful at any time of the day but especially at this time of the morning. The trees and the fields that were emerging from the early fog were especially green. The narrow roads were lined with hedges and trees that sometimes met overhead providing chilly tunnels to pass through. Other times there were large gaps revealing sloping meadows. Everything was so peaceful that he could not help releasing some of the tension he felt about the upcoming briefing. He took a deep breath, enjoying the smells. It would be fall soon and then winter with the cold and snow so right now he was going to enjoy what was here.

His destination was in the American compound in London near the US Embassy. It was a non-descript office building from the outside but was heavily guarded on the inside. This was the European Headquarters of the Office of Strategic Services, or OSS. He found a parking spot then entered the building. The guard inspected his papers, decided they were in order and allowed him to proceed to his destination.

The second floor office was occupied by a grey metal desk and a typewriter. Behind that were three equally grey metal filing cabinets. Sitting behind the desk was a young baby-faced Corporal who was trying to look older. His looks would serve him well as he aged but he probably saw it as a hindrance now. To compensate, he sat poker straight and looked sternly at the intruder as he gestured for the Lieutenant to sit.

With time on his hands Garrison turned his thoughts to his men. Chief seemed to be on the mend now. He had certainly given them a scare. What that young man had faced and continued to face would daunt a lesser man, yet he survived. He was tough. Were all Guardians that tough? He had heard they did not live long, with that kind of life, it was no wonder.

Had he supported him enough? Chief was his Guardian; the ceremony had bound them together, each to protect the other. Chief took this to heart. Had he kept his end of the bargain? Had he looked after him? Chief did not make it easy, always denying there was a problem.

Then there was Goniff. The only thing he denied was his guilt. In spite of that or maybe because of that the man was so positive. Too bad Chief couldn't learn some of that.

Speaking of learning, Actor's report on Chief's reading was good news. He knew the young man was intelligent; maybe this achievement would help convince him. It was a good thing the other two were on board with that. He kept the smile from his face as he remembered Goniff offering to read the book to Chief and seeing the Indian refuse, saying he wanted to read it himself. Goniff had looked and sounded all right with that but Garrison was sure he saw relief as well. He had not heard Goniff read aloud and wondered if he was comfortable doing it. That was a testament to Goniff's good nature and a sign of the depth of his friendship with the Guardian that he would offer to do something that might be hard for him. The man was a gem.

Casino was looking a lot better too. The swelling was down and the bruising had faded. He was almost back to normal, or at least normal for Casino. He was a man of strong opinions. They were fortunate that his opinion was in favour of Guardians. He seemed to have taken to Chief, razing him but defending him whenever necessary. He was a good man to have on the team even if he did irritate him occasionally.

And Actor, the ideal second. He could take over the team and he was sure they would follow him, he was that good yet he had never attempted it. They had followed him on that jewel heist but when Garrison was there he never challenged his authority. The Officer doubted it was the promised parole at the end that was stopping him.

Was it respect for him? He might respect him but he did not think that was enough to keep him in his position. It had to be a shared desire to see the enemy defeated. Whatever it was he was going to continue to do as he had been doing. They worked well together.

They were a good team and he was lucky he had been chosen to lead them. He had been asked on their first mission how he had ended up with them and he had said, 'just lucky'. He had been right. Due to the secret nature of their work he did not know any of the other teams so he could not compare but all in all he was happy with his team. They were good and they worked well together.

A sound and then a tinny voice broke his into thoughts and he watched as the Corporal react to the sounds of the intercom. He listened intently then replied. It was his signal to enter the Major's office. Garrison's anxiety level rose. Major Johns was not one of his supporters but as long as he ignored the snide comments he would get through this. He rose and entered the lion's den.

Lieutenant Craig Garrison strode into the inner office ready to face the future. He and his men were ready.

"At ease."

Garrison complied but Major Johns waited a beat before dropping the bomb.

"Your unit is to be disbanded." Garrison was so shocked that he almost missed what was being said next. "You will be transferred back to your unit in North Africa at your present rank pending an investigation."

His mind swirling in confusion he dared. "May I ask why, sir? We're ready to go, we're trained, my men are good, we've just had some bad luck."

The Major held up his hand. "You have been made; your cover is blown so you are of no use to us now. That is why you have been reassigned."

"What about my men?" Garrison heard the tension in his voice and hoped it did not show. A good commander cared about his men; he cared about his men.

"I have no option but to send them back to where they came from."

"But Sir," protested Garrison barely reining in his anger, "they did everything that was asked of them. They put their lives on the line because they were promised a parole. You can't just turn around and send them back. This was not their fault."

"Wasn't it?" asked the Major coldly.

"No. They did nothing wrong."

"Then explain to me why someone rigged that safe to blow up. This was a practice run on English soil. Why?"

"We asked the same question." The indignation had gone out of his voice. Here was his chance to explain. "All we could come up with, was that it was tied to the two missions we were sent on to Villa San Giovanni in Italy." Major Johns sat waiting. At least he appeared to be listening. He still had a chance.

"I was sent with a civilian named Haydon. My men were sent shortly after with Captain Shaffer to the same location. Neither of us knew about the other. My men arrived at our location and Haydon put a gun to my head. One of my men shot him."

"And you want me to believe that one of his friends came after you," he said sarcastically. "Why don't you tell me the truth, Lieutenant, instead of making up these ridiculous excuses?"

This was it. "It is the truth, sir. When the rest of the team arrived at my location, Haydon was glad to see them saying that he knew the Guardian would come. He wanted to know when he had sensed me. I didn't understand what he was talking about but later I had a visit from a man named Douglas Hughes from G-CAT and he wanted to know about Haydon and how the Guardian had found me. He was asking the same questions that Haydon had. Haydon had to have been from G-CAT too."

Sticking to the official version he said, "Casino was the one who shot Haydon. Casino is our safecracker and it was the safe that was rigged. It was deliberately set to kill Casino; the man who killed Haydon."

The superior officer looked doubtful. Had he understood what Garrison was trying to say? Did he believe him? He would need all the facts so he added, "There is one other thing." This was the most dangerous part.

"Oh?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yes. Not long after, I was called to London and right after I left, Hughes from G-CAT arrived to take the Guardian back."

"Why would he be there to take the Guardian? He's been signed over. They have the right to inspect but I have seen no orders to release him back. So what has that got to do with it?"

"The timing, sir. It was as if he knew when I would be away. The last time he came to get Chief I managed to stall him and he left. This time he waited until I had left before he tried again. It was as if someone told him I wouldn't be there."

"You're suggesting someone from this building told him?" His icy tone and narrowed eyes said he did not like that insinuation. Or was he protecting someone or himself?

"Someone in OSS, someone who knew I had been called away from our base."

"That is a dangerous accusation." John's eyes narrowed. "Are you prepared to back it up?"

"We have been trying to figure out how?"

"You have no proof. You will remain in the building for the next forty-eight hours. Your transfer will have been processed by then."

"Permission to speak to my men, sir."

"Permission denied. Dismissed."

Seething, Garrison saluted and left. Damn, what was he to do?

Goniff was in full stride, regaling his listeners with the story of how he had pulled a fast one on the coppers when he was just a lad. Suddenly out of the corner of his eye he saw something move that should not move. He whipped around and squawked.

"Warden?" That was the cry of two other startled voices. "What are you doing?" demanded the second voice.

"That was easier than I thought," said Garrison as he climbed in through the window. He surveyed the room. Goniff stood rooted to the spot staring. Casino was sitting up on his cot and Actor was standing in front of his chair. All wore expressions of disbelief. Chief was sprawled out on his cot but he wore a small smile. He had heard him coming and was pleased. For some reason he had not revealed his approach to the others.

"Gather round," he said as he walked over to the table. "We don't have much time."

"What's going on," asked Goniff. "Why didn't you use the door?"

"Because he didn't want to be seen," answered Casino, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You on the lam, Warden?"

"So 'oo you 'iding from?" asked Goniff curiously. "Not the coppers, I 'ope."

"Yeah. I'll bet you weren't just trying out our way in, were you?" added Casino.

"Leave'm be. He don't want to admit he's like us."

That shocked the Officer. The look on Chief's face matched the saddened tone of his voice. Was it because he believed it? Did it matter what they thought? Should it?

He knew it did. They were cons and they had come to terms with that and took a measure of pride in their abilities no matter what side of the law they were on. He could not do that. He was going to fight to stay on the right side of the law but to do that he was going to need their help.

He did not need to look at his watch to know that time was wasting, time they could not afford. Skip the preliminaries. "We have to find Hughes and whoever he's working with, and we have to do it fast. Ideas?" He looked around the table. Any reaction to Chief's words was overridden by the thoughts of getting revenge on G-CAT.

"Hughes is most likely staying at a hotel in London, if he is still here."

"That narrows it down to, what, a hundred places and a thousand rooms?" asked Casino. "How're we going to stake out all those hotels?"

"Leave that to me," said the con man with a confident smile.

"So we locate him, then what?" Casino was on to the next step, confident the con man would find him.

"We leave him a message to meet with the mole…"

"Then we follow him. That'll work." Turning to Actor he asked, "How long you figure?"

"I will require a phone and a directory."

Garrison nodded. He knew Actor would come up with a con to get the information he needed. Next step was to determine what message to leave. Because they did not know who the mole was, that meant they had to trick Hughes into leading them to him. What if the mole was a woman? They would have to take that into consideration.

Five men headed for the front door. They would go to London, get a room with a phone and start the search.

"Is Mr. Hughes in?" asked the hurried whisper. Actor had repeated the phrase so many times he feared losing the urgency that would prompt the receptionist to do his bidding. The others had originally sat waiting but as the calls went on endlessly they wandered off. Garrison had started off calling out the numbers for him to dial until Chief had taken over. He had simply sat down at the table and after looking to see where he was on the page, he had pulled the book over in front of himself and called out the next number. Casino saw the exchange and had approached Actor. All he had to do was look at him expectantly and gesture to the hand set. He would take over if the conman tired. He might have gotten his chance except on the next inquiry he got the correct response.

"No, there's no time. Just give him a message. Tell him I need to see him right away." The receptionist wanted more details but Actor cut her off with, "No. He knows where I am," and he broke the connection.

Everyone was smiling but Goniff spoke first. "So, where is the bugger?"

Chief looked down at the place marked by his finger and read off the numbers then paused. Casino, who was closest, leaned in and said, "Queensborough Terrace. How far's that?"

Actor was about to consult the map when Goniff piped up. "I know the place." They were on their way.

Garrison flagged down a cab but he was not amenable to their plan.

"I'm sorry Gov'na, I can't just let me cab. I'm the driver. What's to say you'll bring 'er back?"

"I will give you my watch as a surety. You keep the watch until we return your cab."

There was no hesitation. "I'm sure it's a very nice watch but me cab is me living. I need my cab." Then he asked, "You're not thinking of doing anything illegal are you? I'll not be party to any a that."

"No," said Actor with a grin. "We are playing a game with a friend of ours. A few minutes ago we sent him on a wild goose chase and now we want to follow him and see his reaction when he finds out."

The cabbie gave them a sly look and then grinned. "Well, why didn't you say so. You just point 'im out to me and I'll follow 'im. Where to?" He put the car in gear and they were off.

Queensborough Terrace was a pleasant street lined with ornately decorated buildings but they had no time to enjoy the sights. As the cabbie drove down the street the men were too busy checking the sidewalk for pedestrians and cars for passengers. They did not know how long it would take to get the message to their quarry or how fast he would react. The fear was that he had already left. They kept their eyes open as the cab pulled into a space and stopped. He indicated the address they had given him and they watched intently. What floor was he on? Had he taken the bait? They had discussed a back entrance but had to assume that he would not be that suspicious. He had no reason to suspect. They waited.

"There, comin' out now." Chief had sat in the front so was the first to see the man wearing dark glasses, a hat and overcoat even though the weather was mild.

"You sure?" asked Actor. Sitting behind Chief he had a clear view from the side window but the glasses and hat were enough to cause doubt. He might doubt himself but not Chief.

A cab pulled up as he reached the curb and he climbed in. Anticipating the next order their driver put the cab in gear and pulled out into traffic keeping a discrete distance behind. He said nothing but he must have picked up on the tension. There was no eager anticipation or smiles that their prank was working.

The lead cab turned onto Bayswater Road and continued even after it became Oxford Street. Two right turns and the cab stopped. Their driver pulled into a spot down the street and waited. Several of his fare wondered if he had done this before. Their quarry disembarked and headed for the door. Garrison paid off their cabbie and they got out.

"If we get closer, you think you could track him? Listen in?" asked Garrison quietly as he stood close to the Guardian. A shake of his head dashed that hope. Following someone's footsteps inside a building was too much to hope for.

"We will have to go in," said Actor.

"You won't get past the guards."

"What guards?" asked Goniff. There was no indication on the outside that this nondescript brick building was anything other than an office or apartment building.

"Later," was all he said.

"Business associate, lawyer…" suggested Actor.

Garrison turned to him but saw the look of understanding. He knew. "Split up but don't go far. Chief, you're on me." The two men would return the way Garrison had so recently left. Though the European Headquarters for the Office of Strategic Services was guarded, there were always means of breaching their security. Sometimes a diversion was helpful.

The irate man barged in through the front door and charged up to the desk. "I want to see Dorthey Evens and I want to see her," his fist struck the desktop, "now!" He tried to go around the desk to reach the elevator but was stopped by the iron grip that circled his wrist. Before he could react his arm was twisted up behind his back and he cried out as he was slammed up against the wall.

"Look, all I want to do is talk to her. Please." He tried to turn his head but the pressure on the middle of his back increase and he grunted in pain. "She took my wallet." He swallowed audibly, "I don't care about the money. She can keep it. I just want the wallet back. Please."

There was only silence for a moment until he heard, "What address were you looking for?"

"What?," he asked not believing his ears. "She told me this was where she lived; Grosvenor Hill. That's what she told me. I just want my wallet back."

The pressure eased and his arm was released. Casino reached up to his abused shoulder as he turned around to face the man who had attacked him. Keeping to his part he looked wounded. "Look, I'll wait right here. Just tell her I want my wallet."

"You have the wrong address." The man dressed in civilian clothes was standing just out of reach but his posture was the same as Garrison's when he was waiting for an attack. Civilian clothes be damned, the guy was military.

"What'a you mean. This is Grosvenor Hill." Then he changed his expression to dismay. "She lied to me. Of all the stupid… How am I supposed to …"

"This is Grosvenor Street. Grosvenor Hill is one block over."

In shock he said, "Shit," before turning suspicious. "You're not pulling a fast one are you; to get rid of me? I told you I wouldn't hurt her." Then, "Hey, I'm sorry." He brightened. "Hey, maybe she didn't lie. Maybe I can still get my stuff back." Straightening his shirt, he asked, "What's the fastest way to get there? You wouldn't happen to have money for a cab, would ya?" He looked sheepish. "She's got my wallet."

"It's only a block over. You can walk there."

Casino moved toward the door then turned back. "Which way?" he asked as he wagged his finger up and down the street.

"It's the street directly behind this building." He had not moved.

"So I go out here …"

"Go down to the next corner and turn south. The next intersection is Grosvenor Hill."

Casino rolled his eyes up toward the ceiling as if he were trying to figure something out as he mumbled, "south."

"That way," said the man dressed as a civilian, as he gestured over his shoulder.

"Yeah," he brightened. "Thanks," and he pushed open the door and walked out making sure he headed down the street until he was out of sight.

"Think they're in?" asked Goniff as he stepped out of the doorway to meet the safecracker.

"They better be," grouched Casino as he rubbed his shoulder. "Guy's as good as the Warden."

"They were most likely trained at the same facility," pointed out the conman as he joined them.

"Now what? We just wait?"

"We wait," echoed the other two.

Inside the building the two men, an Officer and a civilian, make their way down the hall. As they approached the corner they heard footsteps. Not wanting their faces seen the two spun on their heels and began walking back the way they had come. Ever alert to his surroundings, Garrison noticed something was different but filed it away for the time being. The most important objective was to find Hughes and listen in on whoever he met with. Even if Chief could hear his voice and commit it to memory, they would somehow find out who the mole was. That was the only reason Hughes was here. He thought his source was in trouble or had information for him.

A door knob turned and a door opened behind them as the two were about to run out of hall. The door closed and the Officer stopped. His team member whispered, "They're gone." The two turned and headed back down the hall again intent on reaching the elevator. A hand on his arm stopped him three doors down. He turned to Chief and saw the look. He had heard something. Keeping an eye on the hall he followed Chief as he backtracked and stood listening.

In the distance he heard the groan as the elevator rose. Was it coming to this floor? He turned his head to listen. If it stopped here he would have to find a way to deflect suspicion. Two men standing silently in the hall would attract attention. The lift stopped and the rattle of the doors confirmed his fears. Short strides probably meant a woman was coming. As she came around the corner he pulled his wallet out of his pocket and began looking through it as if he was searching for something. It must have worked; she walked to the first door, knocked and entered. They were safe.

A closer look told him that Chief was slipping and he moved in closer until their shoulders were touching. Quietly he whispered his name but there was no reaction so he moved far enough away so he could grasp his forearm and squeeze. He would have to be careful of being overheard. There was also the problem of Hughes leaving. Once they knew that something was up Hughes might bolt or the mole might. They had to get away. Surely Chief had heard his voice by now. Had Chief twitched? Was he returning? He tugged gently. They had to go, they were too exposed here.

Chief's face turned toward the hand on his arm but Garrison was unrelenting. They had to go. His first step was a stumble but he straightened and they moved off back toward the end of the hall.

Garrison was desperate to know what his Guardian had heard so he urged him to the end of the hall. As they walked he wondered about his anxiety. He had gone up against the enemy, risking his life to get that little bit extra. He had always been worried about getting caught but this time… Why was this time different? Was it because he was going against his own government, his own organization, OSS? That was non sense. He was trying to get the goods on G-CAT and a mole, a G-CAT spy. Except the G-CAT spy was part of OSS. The enemy would torture and kill him. Could his own government do anything worse? Then why was he so worried? Because he knew his own could do much worse.

Would Major Johns believe him? He had sounded skeptical, not upset or worried. If he was in on it, what would he do when Garrison came to him with a name? What if it was Major Johns himself? If it was, the man was very good at hiding his guilt or fear of being exposed. What would he do? There were ways to get rid of people who knew too much. That thought brought a chill. He had to get Chief out and fast. Once he was back with the rest of the team they would look after him even if something happened to him.

No one was around so he asked the questions. "What did you hear? Did you get a name?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"I heard …"

That was all he heard. After that it was the air raid siren screaming into the evening air. First instinct was to get the two of them down to the air raid shelter but Chief had other ideas. Garrison was shoved back and Chief headed for the escape route as people came hurrying out into the hall.

"No," was all he had a chance to say before he was gone. Garrison wanted to go with him to make sure he got away safely but he knew his absence would be noticed. Chief was unauthorized and he had to stay.

Down in the basement, the assigned rooms were crowded. In the guise of looking for a seat Garrison checked to see who was here. General Freemont, the ranking Officer, had claimed the overstuffed chair in the Command Room. He, a junior Officer, had never been in there but he was able to see in passing. By the time he had a seat he knew that Hughes was not here. He had left. Somewhere in these rooms was the mole, the G-CAT spy. If only he had been able get the information from Chief. Unless the spy had left with Hughes, he might be right here with him. He did not like that feeling.

The three men stood waiting for their Commanding Officer and team mate to return. Like when they were on a mission or pulling a heist they knew there was always something that could go wrong. Would Garrison tell them that his men were standing out in the street waiting? Would it go worse for him if he did? What would he be charged with? Would he face another Court Marshal or just a stint in the stockade and a drop in rank? What would happen to them?

The Air Raid siren barely drew their attention away from their target. For all they knew it could be a false alarm or a diversion. They had used that ruse themselves. They would wait and watch.

Knowing there would be an internal shelter the three were surprised when they saw Mr. Hughes appear at the front entrance. As they watched he moved off with the other civilians as they headed for the closest shelter. As much as Actor wanted to be close enough to overhear what the man might say, he could not risk being recognized. Instead they exchanged looks and remained where they were. To avoid a scolding by the Air Raid Warden they withdrew into the shadows but immediately stepped back out. Chief was crossing the road, heading for their positions.

The fact he was alone was not lost on the safecracker. "Where the Hell is he?" he demanded as they all converged on his central location.

"Relax, Casino," said their Second in Command. "He could not very well take Chief with him."

"Yeah, yer right. And he had to be there." He paused and glanced around. There was no one to overhear them but it was a habit they had all learned before the Army invited them to join them.

"Do you think it's safe 'ere?" asked Goniff as he stood watching the sky anxiously.

Chief looked up for a moment then shook his head. He looked unconcerned but they still kept on eye on the sky. It was not that they did not trust him because they did. They did it out of habit. Even Chief occasionally took another look.

Hoping, if they did come, that the Germans were bad shots today they turned back to the business at hand.

"So you 'eard'em meet?" asked Goniff.

"Yeah." He watched the few stragglers heading for the shelter.

"Can you identify who it was?"

"I didn't recognize'm." His gaze turned to the building he had just left.

"But you would if you heard him again?"

"I heard his voice," he replied testily.

Casino made a move to rebuke him but the hand on his arm stopped him.

"We are all worried about him." Actor's heartfelt words brought a sharp look from the Indian and Casino relaxed. It was true. They still called him the Warden and made sure that he knew that he was on the other side, but in their own hearts they knew that they were on the same side. He looked after them and they would look after him.

For all their appreciation of this commitment they were not entirely sure of the relationship between the Guardian and the Hearth. They had agreed to the ritual but none had truly believed it was more than just an affirmation of their commitment to each other. That was until Chief had told them where Garrison was on their mission to southern Italy. He could not have known he was there unless he had heard his heartbeat; the heartbeat that had been the central theme of the ritual. Just how that worked and if there was more to it than that, they did not want to think about. All they knew was that the two shared a bond.

Right now they had a job to do. Garrison had told them that they had to find the mole and this was their chance to prove his existence. They had recognized his sense of urgency but in their business this was to be expected. They also knew how protective he was of all of them especially of the Indian and not just because he had been so close to losing him recently. The Guardian had earned his place on the team, he was one of them. It was the unwritten code of the cons, and the Army, though they might not have thought about it, that you looked after your guys. G-CAT had threatened one of theirs so they would be more than happy to eliminate that threat. Casino had a personal grudge to settle with a certain Colonel Grayson. If he turned out to be the mole, even better. No matter who it was, they would deal with him.

"So, whata we do now?" asked Goniff. Seeing the look he added disappointedly, "Yeah, I know, we wait."

Finally the 'All Clear' sounded and Mr. Hughes made his way to the surface. He wanted to get to his hotel but he was going to have to wait. Even cab drivers left their cabs to take to the shelter. He stood just outside the door. Even though the all clear had sounded a part of his brain still expected something to fall from the sky. He was glad it had been a false alarm. He would probably never forget the feel of the ground shaking the last time he had hid in the shelter. The sooner he could go home where it was safe the better. He smoothed his tie as he leaned out to look down the street. There were no cars in sight.

While he waited he continued trying to figure out what had happened. The events of the last few hours had shaken him. What was going on? Who had left the message? Was it a case of mixed up delivery?

Another look. There was a car coming up the road now. Was it? No, his heart slowed. It was not a cab. He stepped back in disappointment but the car stopped in front. The back door opened and a tall, very distinguished looking man stepped out. He was grinning.

"Well, well, well. Look who it is." He strode over, arms open wide. "So good to see you."

If Mr. Hughes had not been alone he would assume the man was talking to someone else but he was alone. As much as he tried, he did not know this man. He was obviously mistaken. As he approached the stranger held out his hand. To be polite Mr. Hughes accepted the grip.

"Please go along with me. I am from the Government and I need your help catching a spy," was whispered as his hand was pumped. "How have you been," the stranger asked in his jovial voice. "Where are you off to? Let me give you a lift," and he indicated the car.

Douglas was a patriot. He was physically unfit to be a soldier but he would do his bit so he went with the stranger.

Once he was seated the car pulled away. "What's this all about?" he asked with a frown.

"Thank you for your co-operation. I am afraid all I can tell you is that we suspect that someone in Security is omitting people from the log. Obviously we cannot just ask them so what we are doing is talking to visitors and guests as they leave but without anyone knowing. You must not tell anyone who I am or anything of what we are going to talk about. Do you understand? If you do, it will be considered an act of treason. You know the penalty."

The man was so serious and he was no traitor so he nodded. "I won't tell anyone. If anyone does ask, who should I say you are?"

"What line of business are you in? Did we meet at a convention?" The seriousness had eased.

"No. I am Douglas Hughes, Senior Administrator for Guardian Control and Training."

The stranger looked pensive. "Have you ever been a Trainer or a Handler? Maybe you brought one of your dogs to do some work for us," he suggested hopefully.

"Oh, no. I work in administration."

"Neighbours, perhaps?" he asked with a smile.

"I live and work in Washington DC, Arlington," he suggested hopefully.

"Yes. That will work. We are neighbours."

"What shall I say your name is? And your occupation. If we have spoken before I would know that."

With a smile the stranger introduced himself. "We might as well stick to the truth. My name is Frank Esposito and I work for the government. If pressed, I am in Transportation."

Mr. Hughes was somewhat familiar with this part of the city so when the car did not turn at Davies Street the way the cabs always did he readjusted his mental map. Mr. Esposito must have notices because he said, "So that we cannot be overheard we will go for a drive. Then," and he smiled, "We will stop for a drink before I take you back to your hotel. Is that all right with you?"

Frank was very easy to talk to. His questions were easily answered and though he spoke nothing of himself Douglas felt at ease. Before he knew it the driver pulled over to the curb.

"Will you let me know if you catch the spy?"

"I am afraid that would not be wise. It is unlikely anyone saw us meet. We should not push our luck. Just be aware of the President's thanks for your assistance but," he paused and stared into his eyes, "Remember, not a word to anyone, no one." The last two words were emphasized.

"Yes, I understand."

"Thank you. You have been most helpful and I, and the President, appreciate your co-operation. Good bye."

Mr. Hughes felt good. His previous mood of uncertainty had been replaced by the warmth that filled his chest. He had done his part. The only question now was, was there a traitor in the building or would his testimony prove an innocent man, innocent? Either way he was pleased. He smiled at the doorman as he entered his hotel.

The four men were back together loitering on Grosvenor Street. They had information but no way to deliver it to the man who needed it. All they could do was wait for an opportunity. Well, not everybody was willing to wait.

"Hey Actor. Why don't you go on in there and con your way in." Casino was tired and grouchy.

"That is a brilliant idea," said Actor sarcastically. "What do you suggest I tell him?"

"How the hell should I know? You're the great con man. Come up with something."

"Gentlemen," interrupted the English peacemaker, "And I use that term loosely," as he looked at Casino. "I learned that one from the gentleman 'imself," added Goniff with a tip of his head toward the master gentleman of the group. He was ignored.

"Shut up Limey."

"Casino." It was the flat toneless quality that stood out from the tension in the group

In response to his name the man turned on the Indian and was about to yell, 'what'.

A quiet, "Button up," and he dipped his head.

"Why don't you button up, your lip, Indian."

"Casino," This time it was Actor demanding attention. "Your fly is unbuttoned."

"What?" A quick check and he turned away from the street and rectified the situation. Silently the men turned back to watch the street.

"He's in trouble, isn't he?" asked Chief quietly.

Actor believed he was but he did not want to alarm the others so he delayed the inevitable in hopes he could come up with something positive to help. "I do not think we can say that, yet. As long as he is in there then he is still safe."

"Unless they have an underground exit," offered Casino. There's places in New York where they have underground parking that comes out on the other side of the block. Maybe they took him out the other way."

Actor frowned and silent cursed Casino. Only he could find a way to add to their worry. Now the other two would be picturing themselves standing here for days while Garrison was gone off to Africa.

When the 'All Clear' had sounded, Garrison had followed the others up out of the basement. He wanted out to see if his men were all right and to hear what Chief had heard. Even if all he heard was the voice. Somehow they would find out …

As he passed the first office it hit him. Each office was assigned to an Officer. All he had to do was see who used that room. That was the man Hughes had come to see. Chief identifying the voice was the ultimate proof especially if he heard them say something incriminating but if he could not get to his Guardian he could still identify him from the office. If he asked someone he would arouse suspicions. Instead all he had to do was go in and look.

His plan was thwarted when he was escorted with several others to the lobby and through a newly excavated door to the next building. A cafeteria had been set up and was now serving supper. Their billets were on the next floor up. He would have to wait until everyone was asleep to see if he would be able to slip out and back next door.

"That looks like a place down there," suggested Casino. "Maybe we can get something to warm us up too." When they had left their base it had been cool and knowing the weather they had brought jackets but with the drizzle adding to the dropping temperatures they were getting chilled. The men headed down the street where they would either take turns watching the street or, hopefully, get a seat where they could watch from inside. This would only last until closing time and then they would be on their own again. Being London, there were no abandoned buildings or empty shed to hole up in. Tonight they were going to spend a cold miserable waiting, hoping they were not wasting their time. When they began to doubt they had simply to turn to Chief and see how he was completely fixed on the building. No, he could not hear his heart but he knew he was there.

Back inside the building the Lieutenant waited and listened. Finally silence, if you did not count the snores. Garrison headed for the Lobby, back the way he had come but two guards were sitting there. He would have to find another way.

Finally he was able to slip out. His route in and out of the headquarters building was risky involving scaling a wall using defects in the stone for hand and toe holds. Practicing rock climbing during his training was paying off. It was dangerous; a missed step would result in a deadly fall. Doing this in the dark was even worse. He had been worried about Chief climbing it up and down in his weakened state. Now he was concerned about climbing it in the dark. Leaving it until tomorrow might be too late. If he was not escorted back to the building or if he was sent directly to the airfield in preparation to his shipping out then he would lose his chance of clearing his team. He had to do it tonight.

Briefly he considered trying to locate his men but in the dark it would be almost impossible. He would have to rely on them seeing him from where ever they were hidden. Even then if Chief did not hear anyone or if he did but no names were said then he would still be in the dark. This way he had a chance.

The blackout ensured he was not seen but having to do everything by feel and memory caused him to take twice as long to get where he wanted to be. Once inside he found the door he wanted, picked the lock and entered, relocking it behind him. It was an office identical to the Major's. There was no name on the desk but when he opened the top drawer he saw the engraved plate that said Major Peter Kenworth. He had never heard of Major Kenworth but then he did not know everybody. A quick look through his files revealed little.

A sound in the hall and he froze. Not having access to a flashlight he had had to turn on the ceiling light. The door was locked but the light would be seen around the door and it was too late to turn it off now. If that was one of the guards, would he come in to turn it off? Behind the door was a bank of filing cabinets but there was a man sized gap between the last cabinet and the door. As quietly as he could he moved to a position wedging himself in the corner between the cabinet and the wall. A quick look at the desk, all looked as it had when he came in. He waited.

Seconds felt like minutes until he heard the door knob turn, the mechanism catching on the lock. He took slow deep breaths in hopes of slowing his heart. As long as the guard did not open the door all the way or look behind it he might be all right.

The guard was conscientious. He unlocked the door, opened it part way and called out in the hope of signaling the occupant. Receiving no answer he hit the switch, turning off the lights. Still he waited while Garrison remained immobile. As the door slowly began to close Garrison's eyes were glued to the edge, fully expecting the guard's face to appear. He did not breathe out until the door closed all the way and it was relocked. Still he waited. There was no sound from the hall. Not for the first time he wished he could hear like Chief. Was he still outside or had he left. He waited. Deciding to take the risk he slowly raised his arm to check his watch. At times like this it was hard to judge elapsed time. Still he waited. Finally he was rewarded by a sound. The guard was finally leaving.

Another full minute and Garrison moved. He had seen nothing incriminating. There were no files under Haydon or Villa San Giovanni. Nothing else he had tried brought up anything that might help. A quick look around showed no other doors. This was it, the room where Chief had indicated that Hughes had gone in to meet with someone. Was he mistaken? Was this the right room? It was outside this door that he was standing when he stopped. Was it one of the rooms on either side? Maybe he should check. Did he have time?

That brought a sharp mental rebuke. He was about to be shipped off to North Africa and his team, men he had come to respect, were to be returned to prison and he was worried if he had time?

He had to do it now; there would be no 'later' to do anything except regret. As slowly as he could he unlocked the door and slipped out. As he left the room he pictured the hall. Where exactly had Chief stood? Which way was he facing? It was human nature to face the sound you were trying to hear.

Returning to the end of the hall he retraced his steps counting off the doors. Yes this was where he had stood and he was facing the room he had just exited. He had to be sure. Moving to the next door he squatted down and picked that lock. Using a match this time he checked the room. How likely was the guard to return this soon? He had to take the chance. He flipped on the light. The name plate on the desk identified the owner of the files he was rifling. Nothing of help there. Shutting off the light, he locked up and tried the office on the other side. Again there was nothing helpful.

He had just shut off the light when he heard the sound again. The guard had returned. Even with nothing to alert him Garrison took up his position against the wall and waited. He would remain until he heard the guard leave.

The night was almost gone by the time Garrison made his way back to the room he had been assigned to. His roommate mumbled something about hoping he had enjoyed himself but did not get up.

Garrison now had a name but no proof. He knew Major Johns would not investigate. He wanted Garrison's men out and if he had to take Garrison too, any excuse was good enough. He had to have proof. This was going to be particularly tricky. He needed to get to Chief, get him close enough to hear Kenworth's voice and then… If he told the Major what they had done, the con, and what Hughes had done, would that be enough? That might depend on what was said. What had been said? He wished he knew.

After a few hours of sleep he was awakened and escorted to breakfast. There were a total of six men who had stayed over and they were escorted to the cafeteria except the serving trays were empty. They sat in the chairs and waited.

"You got a girl in town?" asked the dark haired Officer who sat beside him.

"Pardon?" asked Garrison.

"I heard you come in last… early this morning," he said with a leer.

"Something I ate," he said tiredly. "Even if I had a girl, I certainly wouldn't have taken her with me there." The exhaustion was not faked. With his nocturnal activities and the post wondering how he was going to accomplish this, he had not slept well.

The rest of the men laughed, partly at his misfortune and partly at the man who had asked. It certainly wasn't the answer any had expected.

"You feeling all right now?" asked the man across the table.

"Yeah, thanks."

They heard footsteps but instead of trays of food being brought it was a Captain who explained that the breakfast had been cancelled. The chef had taken ill. He was interrupted by a loud groan but continued. "You will be escorted to a restaurant down the street."

"You and the chef eat together?" asked one of the men, grinning at Garrison. Someone laughed.

Outside the building Garrison surreptitiously checked the street. Where were his men? Had they found somewhere to stay? He knew it was cold last night. There was no sign of anyone. Were they that hidden? Had they … Was there a museum or gallery near here? No, they wouldn't take off… They had learned their lesson…?

Inside the restaurant the men filed to a table near the back that would accommodate them all. It was obvious that the shop had been opened on short notice, probably at the request of the Army. The cook, himself, came to take their orders and apologize for the lack of staff. It was as they suspected. They did not normally serve breakfast. As he turned to go back to the kitchen Craig saw the four men enter the restaurant.

"Sorry, gents, we're not open yet."

"All we want is a cup of coffee. Surely you would not turn out four members of the Home Guard."

"But you are American. The Home Gua…"

"Is willing to accept our lack of breeding." The tall dark haired man sounded tired. "We volunteered to help and we were accepted. Now it has been a long cold night and what we would really like is a stiff drink to warm us up but we are willing to settle for a cup of coffee…"

"Or tea," put in a slender blond fellow with an English accent.

"Or tea, if it is not too much of a bother. We have money."

The poor cook took a moment to consider and then relented before heading back to the kitchen.

"Kind sir," started the smooth talker when the cook returned with their tea. "Seeing as you are preparing a meal for the good soldiers, might I trouble you to provide for us as well?" He sounded weary and hopeful. "We too are fighting for the same cause. Even a few slices of toast would help to tide us over."

His magic worked. Garrison who faced the kitchen saw the tray laden with more than a few slices of toast. The man was good.

The six men had little to say. As members of OSS they knew about loose lips. There were the civilians to consider as well. The four were not so constrained. The topic of their conversation was women, including the one they had helped last night to the air raid shelter. Her two little boys were as cute as buttons.

Garrison had ended up with his back to the room so was unable to see the civilians but he listened intently. Were they trying to tell him something other than how cold it had been last night and the rain they had had to endure? He couldn't be sure.

The soldiers finished up, thanked their host and headed for the door. As he passed the civilians Garrison eyed his men. They looked tired but pleased with themselves. Hot food helped to ease the chills they had endured. He was glad to see that Chief did not look as tired. They had probably convinced him to rest though knowing Chief they might have had to con him. Either way the others were looking out for him. That was good to know but it did not solve the problem.

Back at headquarter the soldiers were taken to a lounge on the third floor. There were some magazines, a card table and a shelf of books. Two of the men headed for the table and Captain Maruso picked up the cards and suggested a hand of poker. Garrison liked to play but right now he had too much on his mind.

He knew Major Johns. In any of his dealings with the Officer he was always against him. It had to be his men, the fact they were not soldiers but convicted criminals. This was his opportunity to get rid of them. He would not listen. He had to go up the chain of command.

Go for the top. He had seen General Freemont during the air raid. Was he still here? He had to take the chance. He would have to find a way to get in to see him and convince him to listen. As preoccupied as he was, he didn't notice he had taken up Chief's position looking out the window.

He was accomplishing nothing here and being a man of action he headed for the General's Office. He opened the door and stepped in to the outer office. A Corporal sat there typing a letter. He eyes scanned the page while his finger flew over the keys. There was no acknowledgement of his presence. Not wanting to antagonize him he closed the door with a minimum of noise and approached the desk. The Corporal continued to type for a moment before the eyes shifted even though the fingers remained poised over the keys.

"Can I help you Sir?"

"I need to see the General."

"I am sorry Sir, but you will need an appointment. The General is too busy today. I can put you down for Thursday…"

"I'm shipping out today and I have important information that the General needs now. It'll only take a minute."

He tried to look skeptical but Garrison saw the tinge of doubt. "The General is tied up," and he reached for a piece of paper. "If it's that important, write what you want to tell him and I'll see he gets it." The young man was trying to sound like he was being helping without giving too much hope. If it worked that was fine,

Garrison took the paper and said, "I'll need an envelope too." Maybe that was going too far, the Corporal probably opened the General's mail but he wanted to be sure the General received the information.

The envelope was handed over and Garrison took the paper, a pen from the desk and went and sat. Not taking chances he laid out what he had seen and done. Once completed he signed and folded it, put it in the envelope, sealed it and put the General's name on the outside. He handed it to the man at the desk. A curt thank you and he walked out into the hall.

As he waited he heard the typewriter clacking resume. A quick look at his watch and then there was nothing to do but wait. Finally there was silence for a moment and then the clacking resumed. A phone call that was put through to the inner office interrupted the clatter but again, it resumed. A young man and woman, both in uniform came out of another office so the Lieutenant knelt and retied his shoe. They ignored him and walked to the elevator. The typing continued as they entered the cube and descended.

Finally he heard the chair move so he silently turned the knob and opened the door a crack. He was on his way. As the Corporal picked up the envelope and the letter he had typed and headed for the inner office, Garrison slipped into the room and hurried after him. Fortunately the Corporal left the door open and he slipped into the inner office behind him.

The Corporal silently approached the desk as the General nodded into the phone. Concluding the call he looked up and saw the expected and the unexpected. What would he do when he saw him? This was the tricky part, the part Garrison had not thought through. His plan had hinged entirely on his getting in to see the man. The Corporal was intent on getting the papers signed so he missed the look on the General's face; Garrison did not. Here it comes, the true test of how he worked under pressure, how fast and convincingly he could talk. Actor would have no problem with this but Actor wasn't here. He was here and this was it.

"Unless the building is on fire, you are about to be in a whole lot of trouble, soldier." The tone was cold and hard. "You have ten seconds to explain." The Corporal whirled around, a look of surprise on his face.

Garrison had hoped to ease into his explanation but with this limit he knew he had to do what the newspapers did. Big headline. "There's a traitor in the building and I know who it is." That got the desired reaction.

"You now have fifteen seconds."

"My men and I were sent on separate missions but we ended up in the same place."

"Thirteen."

"The man I was sent in with was real pleased when my men showed up. He said he knew he would find me; that he would know I was there. He was testing to see if my Guardian could find me."

"Ten."

"When we returned a Mr. Hughes from G-CAT arrived at our base demanding to know the same and when I told him that he didn't find me, he wanted the Guardian to undergo more testing. I denied him access and he left."

"Five."

"I was called to London and minutes later he showed up at the base with orders to take the Guardian." Garrison was talking as fast as he could but still the General rose to his feet. Last ditch effort. "Sir, it was as if he knew exactly when I left. Someone told him I was off base. That information had to have come from someone here, inside the building." What else could he add? The General had picked up the phone and he was now dialing.

"The man I was sent with, a Mr. Haydon, was a civilian. Mr. Hughes was asking about him. Haydon had to have been with G-CAT. The two missions were not military, but civilian. Captain Shaffer was killed to test a G-CAT theory."

He knew he was not telling this the way he wanted to but he was desperate. He had to save his team. In doing so, he would also save his career but that was not his focus. He had to keep his men out of prison.

"Peter, it's Freemont. Something's come up. I'll call you later."

The General hung up and Garrison felt a bit of the crushing weight lift. The MP's were not on their way.

"All right, start over and this time…"

"Yes Sir." Gathering himself, he began. "My name is Lieutenant Craig Garrison." He was stopped by the General's hand as he lifted the phone once again. This time it was to ask for his file to be brought in. Seeing the nod he continued.

"I spoke to Major Johns explaining that I think we have a spy in this building." The General's expression allowed him to continue so he told him what he had told the Major about why he suspected a spy. The General sat waiting, his gaze never wavering. When the file arrived he opened it and began reading.

"How's the Guardian working out?" The tone was neutral.

"Very well, Sir." There was a moment of silence. Did he want more detail? The man continued to read so he remained quiet.

"I wasn't sold on the idea," he said as he looked up judging his reaction, "but I had my orders."

"He's saved our lives more than once."

There was a long silence as he continued to read. Finally he said, "And you suspect Mr. Hughes was tipped off by someone in OSS?"

"The timing was too good to be a coincidence. I do know he wants to take the Guardian. Major Johns said he had been signed over to the Army."

I am unaware of any attempt by G-CAT to repossess the Guardian but I will have someone look into your allegations."

"I am to be reassigned today."

"Yes."

"Sir, I know the name of the G-CAT spy?

"You do, do you?" his tone was skeptical.

"The man who was giving information to Mr. Hughes of G-CAT, his name is Major Kenworth."

"And how did you come to this erroneous conclusion?" he asked with a touch of scorn.

The truth was always the best but in this case it would only add to his discredit.

"Sir, I called Mr. Hughes' hotel and left an urgent message to contact me. I didn't leave a name. He came here and went immediately to see Major Kenworth in his office. That can't have been a coincidence."

"This could have been just a social call. This Mr. Hughes might not have even got the message. If you are going to make accusations, you better have more proof than that. Did you happen to hear their conversation?"

"No, sir but…"

"If you had then you would have known that Major Kenworth is not the leak."

That took the wind out of his sails. Was he defending him? If only he had had time to talk to Chief, to find out what he heard.

"Could I at least talk to him?" He was desperate. Somehow he had to get Chief in here again.

"No." It was a flat out refusal.

Garrison's mind was swirling with possibilities. He had to get Chief and the Major together and see if his was the voice Chief heard. How was he going to set this up?

The General must have seen the wheels turning because he added, "And before you do anything foolish," he paused for effect, "Major Kenworth is dead. He was killed in action last Thursday. That office is vacant."

The floor had just dissolved under the Lieutenant's feet. He was back to square one with no idea of where to go next. The way things were going Chief probably hadn't heard anything either. When were they going to get a break? If something didn't happen in the next few hours they were all going their separate ways.

"Sir, the mission to Italy, when this all started, who approved those missions? They were not military. They were set up to test a theory, a G-CAT theory. If you could find out who set them up." The General was back to reading his file. Did he still have a chance? Did the General believe him? If his face was any indication, the man was a hell of a poker player; even Casino couldn't have read anything there.

Garrison had an Ace up his sleeve but he knew that was a dangerous card to play. To admit he snuck a civilian into the building could be the last straw. That could put him on the same footing as the traitor. He gritted his teeth and said nothing.

The General picked up the phone and dialed. "Wait outside," was all he said.

What now, he wondered. Damn. Once in the outer office he sat down and tried to look unconcerned. Had he made any progress? The General looked to be digging into the matter. Would he find enough? Who had set them up? Why hadn't he thought of that before? Not that it mattered; he had no way of finding that out. A part of his unlawful brain pictured his men conning the records clerk or even kidnapping him. Actor would work his magic persuasion and Casino would threaten him but in the end they would find out what they needed. Because it distracted his worried legal brain he continued with the image but when he pictured the four of them following Chief as he scaled down the outer wall of the building he had to shut it down. That was just wrong. His legal side even questioned whether he should not inform security that they had a weakness in their perimeter. No, he might need it again. But if he found it then so could the enemy. Round and round he went.

The inner office door opened and the General stepped out. "Where in Italy did this alleged mission take place?"

"I met up with Mr. Haydon in Villa san Giovani."

"I can find no record of you being sent there. There is also no mention of a Mr. Haydon."

All Garrison could do was gape. Someone had tampered with the records.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Garrison stood motionless his mind stilled. What was he to do now? Emptiness swirled. No thoughts just emptiness. What was he to do?

"You have any idea where this Mr. Haydon is now?" asked the General.

"He's dead. He was shot when he put a gun to my head."

"That's right. You said he was dead."

"Sir, I was there," and he gave the dates. "I went in by air, a night drop. He met me and took me to a building at the end of the plaza." His eyes widened. "I was briefed and debriefed by Major Comber. Maybe he misfiled the reports." He didn't think so but he had already accused the wrong man once, he did not want to do it again. The General would figure it out.

If there had to be a bright side, it was that the General had found out about the missing files. Now the question was what was he going to do about it? Had the Major 'misplaced' the files? Was he the source of the leak to G-CAT? Or was it someone else and they had taken the files? They had to find out. What he wouldn't give to see the confrontation between the General and the Major. Surely the General would be able to tell if the man was lying. He didn't get to be a General by misreading people.

"Sir, permission to talk to my men." He got a questioning look so he added, "They were debriefed after that mission by General Kramer. They might be able to add something."

"General Kramer. You sure?"

"Yes sir. That's the name they gave me."

"You weren't there?"

"No, sir. They were debriefed separately."

"And did the Major brief them too?"

"No, sir. As I recall it was a Colonel Grayson."

The frown on the General's face meant trouble but for whom? It did not look to be aimed at him in particular but then he had seen how well the General kept his face neutral earlier.

"One other thing, General, I am to be sent to Africa. Orders are to cut today."

"And you want to see this through before you go?"

"I want to see it through and stay. My men are good. They're trained and we make a good team." There was more he wanted to say such as to remind him how his men had survived their suicide mission and then gone back and gotten the German General who had defected but he could see he was interrupting. He wanted, most of all, for the General to get to the bottom of this and clear them to continue.

"Where are your men? At your base I assume?"

He could not keep a straight face. His chagrin showed. "No sir, they're here in London."

"In London?" A pair of angry eyes grilled him. "And they just happen to have passes? How convenient." He had not bothered to keep the ire or the sarcasm from his voice.

Shit, thought Garrison. No explanation was called for so he did not offer. If the General wanted one he was going to have to ask. Never volunteer in the Army, especially when you worked OSS. The silence dragged on with the General in command and Garrison waiting.

The intercom on the desk squawked and a tiny voice reminded him of an appointment he had in fifteen minutes. Without moving his eyes he hit the switch and told the box to reschedule the meeting.

"And what would it take to contact, '**your**' men?" he asked after releasing the switch.

"It wouldn't take long, sir." He sat a little straighter. Would he let him go?

"Where are they?" He was getting angrier.

Maybe… No, don't volunteer anything but he could think of no way to get around this. Close by? No that sounded an obvious cover up. Maybe he should have lied and said they were at their base but then he might have sent a car for them.

"You are asking for my help here," said the Commanding Officer. "The easy route would be to sign your orders and be done with you and your men. Now, where are they?"

He took a deep breath and released it. This was it. He was either gone or still in the fire. "They're out in the street." If he was expecting shock, he was disappointed. What he saw was relief? What the hell?

"They were spotted," said the General. "Your men may be good but mine are better." There was no pleasure in his words. "Now, we might as well have a word with them." He checked his watch. "Front gate in half an hour. Dismissed."

Dare he hope? The General had listened. Trying not to look too eager he saluted, turned and marched out. As he headed for the exit he hoped his men were still there. They wanted G-CAT out of their lives as much as he did but… the lure of all that potential loot. Which was stronger? He knew what Chief would do but then they were a team and where one went the others followed. How far was the closest museum, art gallery, palace? No, they wouldn't stoop that low. Stay positive.

Once on the street he took several steps away from the door then stopped to light a cigarette. Hopefully they would see that as a signal that all was well. Not wanting to meet here in front of the building he headed for the restaurant where they had had breakfast.

The place was small and popular which meant there were no tables available. He waited. And waited but no one showed up. A glance at his watch said he was almost out of time when the waitress waved to him indicating that a table was available. Not wanting to call attention to himself he made his way to the table and asked for a cup of tea.

He watched the street but no one he recognized showed at the door. He was beginning to get worried when a familiar figure pulled out the chair and sat across from him. Another scrape and a second, third and a fourth man sat down. They had come in through the kitchen. They never ceased to surprise him.

"Good morning Lieutenant. I trust **you** slept well." Four pleased faces altered enough to let him know that they had not.

Not to be outdone he said, "No, I didn't." It pleased him that that was not the answer they were expecting. Letting that drop he turned to his Guardian and said, "I need to know what you heard in that office."

"It was muffled so I couldn't hear all the words but the one guy was angry. Something about how he wasn't supposed to come here. The other guy said he had every right to. There was quiet an' then…"

"Morning gentlemen," said the waitress as she placed Garrison's cup on the table. "Tea for you gents?"

"Yes, thank you," said Actor turning on the charm. There was no reason but that was Actor.

"I'm sorry, we don't have time," said Garrison quickly before she had a chance to leave. She looked disappointed but hurried off to another table as Goniff expressed his disappointment. To settle the score he reached over, took Garrison's cup and helped himself.

Chief resumed. "He asked about the message, how he had got it an' if he was sure that maybe it was meant for someone else. I don't think he was too happy about that. Nobody talked for a bit then the guy said he would have to check the log." Chief looked unsure as if maybe he had gotten it wrong.

Garrison nodded his understanding and explained. "Each person who enters is logged in and out, time and date."

"He asked why."

"This is Hughes who was asking?" put in Garrison in an attempt to keep this guy and the other guy straight. He did not want any confusion. The look of pain on Chief's face made him regret that decision. By keeping it impersonal Chief was avoiding the memories associated with that name and who he was associated with. To his credit he paused only for a second before continuing.

"He said he thought, it might be you and Hughes shoulda never gone after… the dog." Anxiously he added, "He knows. He knows we're after'm."

"So that's all that you heard?"

"No. H-Hughes said he wanted to set up… another test of Haydon's idea."

"Don't worry Chief. We won't let him." Chief did not seem convinced but there was nothing else he could do right now.

Casino leaned in a little closer. "So I take it they don't know about…" They all saw the slight shake of his head. "And you want to keep it that way." He did not expect confirmation. It made sense. The less G-CAT knew the better.

"Before we go," asked Garrison, "Did you recognize the voice?" The head shake dashed that hope but then it had been slim. If he had recognized it he would have said so. He stood and the others followed while he placed his money on the table. A movement caught his eye as he was about to leave. Turning back he saw Goniff's hand on the table halfway between the cup and the money. He grinned and pulled his hand back. They filed out into the street.

"While you were whiling away your time, being all warm and comfortable," gloated Goniff, "we've been busy." That got Garrison's attention but there were people about and here was not the place to discuss what they had been up to.

Actor's hand on his arm stopped him just before they reached their destination. "Have you been able to learn anything?"

"After lights out," said the Lieutenant, "I went back to the room where Chief heard the voices. I checked inside…"

"So who's office was it?" interrupted Casino seeing the connection.

"Wasn't him. Our stool pigeon must have…"

"Stool pigeon?" scoffed Goniff. That earned him a glare. "I just never thought of you saying…" he tapered off.

Garrison saw the grins on the con's faces, even Chief's. "Whoever he met with took him to that office because he knew it was empty."

"If we could verify with the building security…" started Actor.

"Yeah. That guy wouldn't let just anyone in."

"I…"Garrison stopped abruptly and stared at Casino.

"Yeah," he admitted ruefully. "I tried."

Garrison pulled back and the look on his face told them what he thought of that move. Bonehead came to everyone's mind.

"Hey, we thought you might need a diversion to get in, you know with Chief being…"

"I don't need no help."

"Yeah, I know…"

"Enough."

Inside the front door the men came face-to-face with a Corporal who was standing looking at his watch. He did not have to say it. They were late. After a suitable pause he led them to the elevator and to the office upstairs.

"Gentlemen, be seated," said the General as he hung up the phone."

Garrison and Actor took the two chairs in front of the desk and Goniff and Casino took the other two which had been brought in from somewhere else. Chief ignored the last chair, electing to stand by the door. The General gave him a look that said he expected to be obeyed.

The Lieutenant saw the look and although the man in question was out of eyesight, the extra chairs being slightly behind, he knew Chief had to be at the door or window. The direction of the General's glare said door. He knew that he could fix that with a word but did he want to? Did he really want to show the General he could get results where the General couldn't? No, so he let it drop. Fortunately so did the General.

"I did a little digging. Mr. Hughes is an Administrator for the Guardian Control and Training Center. He has logged in to see Major Brozek on several occasions including yesterday. That is all perfectly legal, Major Brozek is the Official Liaison between the OSS and the Guardian Control and Training Center. He oversees the acquisition and deployment of …"He looked to Chief. "Guardians."

"Is there an Officer named Major Comber on staff?" asked Actor. That earned him a glare from the superior officer. Understanding what that meant he introduced himself as Garrison's second in command. The look was unrelenting so he followed up with, "I spoke with Mr. Hughes and he mentioned that his brother-in-law also works for this branch of the military.

"You what?" demanded Garrison. As soon as he spoke he knew he should not have but it had so surprised him that he had blurted it out.

"Oh yes, we had a pleasant conversation." Actor was in his glory, the center of attention, the man with the information. "He was most helpful. He mentioned that his brother-in-law had come over to visit before the war," he smiled, "from London where he works for the Military."

Garrison looked to the General. Was this helpful? Did he know the man in question? Maddeningly he gave no clue.

"And you are sure he was telling the truth?"

"Absolutely."

Garrison knew the conman, adept at telling and detecting lies, was also good at getting people to tell him what he wanted without even realizing what they were doing.

Lacking the files, the General questioned the cons on their part in the Italian mission. Actor gave him the highlights including the name of the Officer in charge of the debriefing, General Kramer. Just in case the file showed up, Actor stuck to the official version with Casino shooting Haydon.

Garrison watched the General. His face was almost neutral but a slight tension in his cheeks showed his pleasure. He was trying not to smile.

The Corporal knocked once then entered. Moving quickly he placed a folded piece of paper on the General's desk then retreated. The door closed behind him with a click as the Commanding Officer opened the paper and read.

"Wait outside." The General's voice had taken on the same deadly calm the cons knew so well. Trouble.

There were no chairs to sit on; they had all been taken into the General's Office so they headed for the hall. Casino was all for taking a walk outside but Garrison knew to stay close. Their fate might be being decided right now or it could be something else altogether. Either way he wanted them close.

Time stretched, interrupted by the ring of the phone, a voice muffled by the closed door then silence. More silence.

Finally the door opened and the Corporal beckoned to the men. Once inside the room he told them they were to report to Major John's Office immediately. Looks were exchanged and they left.

"What d'ya think's 'appening now, Warden?" asked Goniff. He had been the last one into the office so the second one out after Chief. Not knowing the way, he paused to let their leader take charge, then fell in beside him.

"I don't know."

"It was John's who disbanded us, was it not it. Do you think the orders have come through?" asked Actor quietly.

Four sets of feet stopped as the implications of Actor's question sank in. One arm snaked out grabbing the Officer's arm, yanking him to a stop.

"You're not going in there are you?" demanded Casino in a hoarse whisper. "You gotta give us a half hour start, at least." His face twisted in a snarl. "Or are you planning on rolling over?"

"Casino," said Garrison giving him his no nonsense stare. Then he looked to each of the other faces. They were grim. Unfortunately they had a point. Why else would they be told to go there? Did the Major want to apprehend the men himself? Did he want to see the looks on their faces as he arrested them?

Shit.


	4. Chapter 4

Some readers have noticed the discrepancy between the title, Ashes, and the story headings, The Finale. The latter was the working title but I changed it when I posted it. Unfortunately I did not change it before posting the actual page. Thanks to Nannybear for catching my mistake. And no the series is not complete, just this story.

Chapter 4

What did the General say? Were his orders for Garrison or the team? There were no MP's in the hall but they could be inside. Without discussion the cons headed for the exit, the Lieutenant for the office door.

"Where are your men?" demanded the Major once he was inside.

"They've gone outside."

"Don't you ever obey orders? Get them back in here," he demanded then added sourly, "You've got a mission."

Garrison was pleased, though he refrained from showing it. They were still together, acting as a team, doing what they did best. His team was unconventional but it was this that made them so good. Back home they were living at tax payer's expense; here they were earning their keep.

It took half an hour for Garrison to get back outside and find his men. They had lost no time in putting distance between themselves and the possibility of incarceration.

"It's safe to come back inside, we…"

"No." Actor's tone said there was no more to discuss.

Garrison had expected resistance but not abject refusal. He gave the con man the look but he was not backing down.

"Look, I've had dealings with John's before. He was the one who told me we had been disbanded and believe me he was pleased. Now he looks like he has a mouthful of lemons. There were no MP's anywhere."

"I know you believe what you're saying but…" started Goniff.

"Yeah, we trust you, babe…"

"We do not trust Major Johns."

"I understand that. I don't trust him with our lives but…"

"This is our lives," said Actor. "Our freedom is our lives. You have nothing to lose. You can trust him, we, on the other hand, cannot."

Garrison looked to each man. Actor was no longer his second in command. Right now he was his adversary. Casino wore a look of disrespect and Goniff looked slightly fearful. Chief would not meet his eye.

"Chief?"

The Indian lifted his eyes, catching Garrison's momentarily before shifting to Actor's. He was clearly torn, believing Actor's assessment of impending incarceration but pulled by his loyalty to his Hearth.

"Don't you see what you're doin' to the kid. Look at'im," demanded Casino. "You're asking him to give himself up an' go back to those murdering bastards." He glared.

"Casino," said Garrison, "If I thought there was the remotest chance that this was a double cross then we, yes, we would be gone. I told the General I wanted to stay in OSS, that you guys were good. He was looking at my file, reading the reports on our missions before you arrived. He knows we're good."

"Our record isn't spotless. We blew anuff of'm," said Goniff.

"Yeah," put in Casino, "the last two were failures. And they'll pin that Lowry guy's death on us, you wait and see if they don't."

"The last mission was not a failure. Ainsworth is out…"

"That wasn't a mission. That was personal. That was for Chief. I'm talking Army stuff. The safe that blew up and the accident before that."

"Casino, the only team that has never failed is the one that has never been in the field. No one team is perfect. We've missed some but we have also pulled off some that even I was doubtful about. Command knows that we're good. I made sure General Freemont knew that.

"Now think about the way it went," he continued. "We're right there talking to the General. He gets a note and we're sent to Major John's and he briefs us on a mission. The General told Johns to brief us. That's why he was so miserable."

He watched his men. Actor's look had not changed but he was silent. Casino, too, remained quiet, watching. Goniff was looking from Actor to Garrison waiting for someone to move. Chief took a step closer and almost kneeled before Garrison caught his arm. He stepped behind his Hearth's shoulder. Out of sight, he did not see that Chief kept his eyes lowered. He felt he had betrayed his friends.

Actor's face relaxed most of the way. He was still wary. Casino saw the shift and he relaxed to a degree but kept his edge. "If he crosses us…"

Goniff edged around so he was facing the two dark haired men.

"I will not threaten," said Actor leaving the consequences open.

The five men headed back to the building.

Did they have anything to fear? Garrison was confident he had read the situation right. Actor knew he could not con his way out of the building and once in custody he would have a hard time escaping. Maybe he should just surrender and let himself be taken. Once stateside the threat of a little publicity properly handled could lead to his freedom. He was not a threat to society so maybe they would consider this time served and he would be released.

Casino was anxious, anxious for this to be underway though he wished he had a gun. Maybe he could find one to grab. Garrison wasn't carrying so he would have to watch carefully. Would the MP's expect him to jump'm? Hopefully not. The MP's would be armed. He thought back to their hand-to-hand training. How had Garrison told them how to disarm the enemy? Would he have to kill someone? He hoped not. Resisting arrest and assault was beatable or doable but murder… No, that was to be avoided.

Goniff was nervous. What was going to happen? Was this on the level? Actor could talk his way out of anything and Casino, well he was a fighter… That was it. Casino would resist and as soon as he did then he was going to take off. He was quick. As long as there weren't too many people in the halls. The roof, that was where to go. The buildings along here were all linked so as long as got there he could run along to someplace to get down. He had done this before, many times though not this particular building. As long as he watched and was ready, then he would be all right.

Chief walked along behind his Hearth's shoulder. As long as he had his Hearth he would walk to his death. What he feared was losing his Hearth. He would not go quietly, he would fight. He wasn't drugged, starved or weak. This time he would fight to the death, his or someone else's. That was the Apache way. He would fight to stay with his Hearth the way the Guardians of old had fought. And he would die protecting his Hearth.

Garrison felt relieved. Yesterday he thought he and his men were finished, disbanded and scattered. That feeling had torn at his gut. But now they were back together as a team.

As Major Johns began the briefing the Lieutenant knew thatGarrison's Gorillas had risen from the ashes to fight again.


End file.
